Furniture having artificial rattan strips

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture includes: a frame structure; and at least one planar woven web mounted to the frame structure, and including a plurality of artificial rattan strips that are interlaced with each other and that are heat sealable, and a plurality of guide tracks provided in the planar woven web. The planar woven web is fastened to the frame structure along the guide tracks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an article of furniture, more particularly to an article of furniture having a plurality of artificial rattan strips.

2. Description of the Related Art

Rattan furniture can be classified into natural rattan furniture and imitation rattan furniture. The natural rattan furniture has disadvantages, such as poor resistance to high temperatures, and susceptibility to cracking, deforming and color fading. The appearance and texture of the imitation rattan furniture are similar to those of natural rattan furniture. Besides, compared to the natural rattan furniture, the imitation rattan furniture is inexpensive, durable, smoother, higher in resistance to humidity and temperature, not easy to deform and fade, and easy for cleaning and maintenance.

Conventional imitation rattan furniture includes a frame structure, and a plurality of woven webs enclosing the frame structure. Generally, the woven webs are nailed to the frame structure, and nails are exposed at random positions, thereby adversely affecting the appearance of the furniture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an article of furniture that can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.

According to the present invention, an article of furniture comprises: a frame structure; and at least one planar woven web mounted to the frame structure, and including a plurality of artificial rattan strips that are interlaced with each other and that are heat sealable, and a plurality of guide tracks provided in the planar woven web. The planar woven web is fastened to the frame structure along the guide tracks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the furniture according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a preferred embodiment of this invention is embodied in an imitation rattan chair 2. Of course, the invention may also be embodied in an imitation rattan table or an imitation rattan bed. The imitation rattan chair 2 includes a frame structure 21 made of metal, a plurality of planar woven webs 22 mounted to the frame structure 21, and a plurality of decorative strips 23. The planar woven webs 22 are spread over and nailed to the frame structure 21 so that the frame structure 21 is entirely enclosed by the planar woven webs 22.

The size and shape of the planar woven webs 22 vary in accordance with areas of portions, such as, backrest, seat and armrest portions, of the frame structure 21 where the planar woven webs 22 are to be mounted on. Furthermore, each of the planar woven webs 22 includes a plurality of artificial rattan strips 221 that are interlaced with each other and that are heat sealable, and a plurality of guide tracks 222 that are formed as heat sealed lines and that are provided in the planar woven web 22. The guide tracks 222 are provided for locating nails 24 used to nail the planar woven webs 22 to the frame structure 21, and are arranged at positions according to the configurations of the portions of the frame structure 21 to which the planar woven webs 22 are attached. For example, for a rectangular portion of the frame structure 21, a rectangular one of the planar woven web 22 is attached thereto and has four marginal ends. In this case, some of the guide tracks 222 extend respectively along the marginal ends, and some of the guide tracks 222 extend in an area surrounded by the marginal ends.

Each of the artificial rattan strips 221 includes a cotton core 223 and a heat-sealable plastic shell 224 enclosing the core 223. The guide tracks 222 are formed by partially fusing the plastic shell 224 under pressure. When each planar woven web 22 having the artificial rattan strips 221 is subjected to heat and pressure at the marginal ends thereof, portions of the plastic shells 224 of the artificial rattan strips 221 at the marginal ends are melted, thereby resulting in bonding together adjacent ones of the artificial rattan strips 221 and forming the guide tracks 222. As a result, the artificial rattan strips 221 are tightly connected to each other through the guide tracks 222 and will not be loose. On the other hand, since the guide tracks 222 can be used as an indicator, the planar woven webs 22 can be easily mounted to an accurate position of the frame structure 21 by applying a plurality of nails 24 thereto along the guide tracks 222.

Referring back to FIGS. 2 and 3, one of the planar woven webs 22 is mounted to an outer side of an armrest of the frame structure 21, and another one of the planar woven webs 22 is mounted to an inner side of the armrest. The planar woven web 22 has the guide tracks 222 at the marginal ends 225 and in an area surrounded by the marginal ends 225. In assembly, the guide tracks 222 of the planar woven web 22 are aligned with the nailing positions of the armrest, and are nailed thereto using a nail gun (not shown). Likewise, the rest of the planar woven webs 22 are mounted to other portions of the frame structure 21.

Referring back to FIG. 3, after assembly, two adjacent ones of the planar woven webs 22 overlap with each other at the marginal ends 225 thereof, and are nailed to the frame structure 21 at the same position. Since the nails 24 are exposed at the guide tracks 222, the decorative strip 23 is disposed over and nailed to the guide tracks 222, thereby covering the nails 24 and decorating the imitation rattan chair 2.

In the imitation rattan chair 2 according to the invention, the guide tracks 222 are formed in the planar woven web 22 by heating directly the artificial rattan strips 221, thereby securing the artificial rattan strips 221 together more firmly and providing a guidance to assist in nailing the planar woven webs 22 to the frame structure 21. In addition, the decorative strips 23 are disposed over the guide tracks 222 so as to cover the nails 24 and so as to improve the appearance of the chair 2.

With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as recited in the appended claims. 

1. An article of furniture comprising: a frame structure; and at least one planar woven web mounted to said frame structure, and including a plurality of artificial rattan strips that are interlaced with each other and that are heat sealable, and a plurality of guide tracks provided in said planar woven web, said planar woven web being fastened to said frame structure along said guide tracks.
 2. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said guide tracks are formed as heat sealed lines.
 3. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein each of said artificial rattan strips includes a core and a heat-sealable plastic shell enclosing said core.
 4. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of nails disposed along said guide tracks to nail said planar woven web to said frame structure.
 5. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said planar woven web has a plurality of marginal ends, said guide tracks extending along said marginal ends.
 6. The article of furniture of claim 5, wherein some of said guide tracks extend along said marginal ends, and some of said guide tracks extend in an area surrounded by said marginal ends.
 7. The article of furniture of claim 5, which comprises a plurality of said planar woven webs that overlap at said marginal ends of said planar woven webs.
 8. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of decorative strips disposed over and nailed at said guide tracks, respectively. 